Food giants are quickly expanding their product lines to include unique and innovative items such as mustard-flavored Skittles and caviar-topped Pringles.

• Mattel's over 100 partnerships for the "Barbie" movie, including Bumble, Burger King, Revlon, and Cold Stone Creamery, showcase a year of intense brand promotion.
• Collaborations between unusual brands are becoming popular, such as Nike Swoosh with Tiffany's, French's mustard-flavored Skittles, and The Caviar Co. with Pringles.
• When product mashups fail, they can lead to consumer anger and harm to a company's reputation.

French's mustard-flavored Skittles.

Nike sneakers with a Tiffany & Co. blue swoosh.

A snack kit featuring crisps and caviar from Pringles and The Caviar Co.

In 2023, brand partnerships are being taken to a new level with the marketing mashups of that year. This is due to the more than 100 partnerships that Mattel has established for the "Barbie" movie, which include Bumble, Burger King, Revlon, and Cold Stone Creamery. These strategic alliances are becoming more common and offbeat than ever.

To differentiate themselves amidst the increasing competition, companies are resorting to "unexpected and innovative" partnerships, as stated by Daniel Andersson, chief creative officer at FutureBrand.

He stated that the current era has a very small window of opportunity for gaining attention.

Collaborating with another business can help increase brand recognition and attract more customers. Through joint ventures or mutual promotions, companies can broaden their customer base and potentially increase revenue while also splitting marketing expenses with their partner.

According to Allison Ames, president and CEO of Beanstalk, successful efforts in creating social conversations and new impressions can lead to increased market share and the sale of core products.

The Caviar Co. and Pringles brand formed a partnership due to a trend on TikTok where users added caviar to their chips. The unusual food combination also gained popularity after being featured on "Real Housewives of New York."

The three caviar kits, priced at $49, $110, and $140, featuring separate containers of Pringles and caviar, gained popularity on social media as users shared videos of the kits and conducted taste tests. Both brands received increased exposure due to news, entertainment, and food programs covering the product launch.

A partnership between two brands with a common audience may be more inherent than one between two brands that don't share a similar target market. For example, Doritos and Taco Bell collaborated years ago to create Doritos Locos Tacos, which have a Doritos nacho cheese shell and are still popular today. Both brands cater to younger consumers who enjoy grab-and-go foods. Additionally, in 2023, Kellogg's Pop-Tarts and Crocs formed an alliance, with Pop-Tarts-shaped charms for Crocs footwear and edible Croc-shaped candy charms. This initiative targeted a mass, mainstream audience.

Collaborating with a high-end brand like Pringles and a lower-end brand like The Caviar Co. can benefit both brands by expanding their audiences, according to Ames. She cites the successful partnership between Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and TRUFF, where TRUFF's Original Black Truffle Hot Sauce was infused into Hidden Valley Ranch to create a new condiment that sold for $24.99.

""TRUFF gained exposure to a larger audience from Hidden Valley's customers, which helped both of them gain credibility and a premium positioning," she said."

The product was made available for a limited time to create a sense of urgency and generate additional excitement.

Marketing experts emphasize the importance of both parties conducting thorough research before collaborating.

"Andersson emphasized the importance of careful collaboration selection for brands. He stated that brands must ensure that their collaborations are not just a simple logo combination, but rather a thoughtful idea that benefits both parties. Both brands must contribute something valuable to the partnership to elevate each other."

When brand partnership ideas go bad

Understanding each other's missions, values, and reputations is crucial for brands.

"They need to do some background checks," Andersson said.

According to Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce and co-author of "Shift Ahead," creating a successful combo requires a balance between being unique and clear. If a partnership is too obvious, it won't stand out, but if it's too confusing, it won't resonate with consumers.

""It's easier to work together than it seems, but many fail to achieve the goal," Adamson stated."

As societal values evolve and emerging issues gain prominence, long-standing partnerships may undergo fresh scrutiny.

Shell gas stations previously distributed Lego toy sets in dozens of countries.

"Before launching a partnership, brands should consider the potential for backfire and failure if it offends consumers."

The partnership between retailer Forever 21 and weight-control company Atkins Nutritionals resulted in consumers receiving a free Atkins diet bar with every online order. However, this offer was met with shock and criticism from shoppers, particularly those who ordered plus-size clothing, who took to social media to express their offense.

""Forever 21 quickly issued an apology after the collaboration drew backlash from consumers who accused the retailer of promoting diet culture and body-shaming," Ames said."